Nanoscience – Materials, Molecules and Cells Osnabrück University

The programme is taught in English.

The Master’s degree programme enables a nanosciences specialisation in one of the following three fields of research: chemistry, biology, and physics. In addition to the specialisation in their major, students can choose between numerous courses in the required electives of their chosen fields of research. In this context, cross-disciplinary contact between these neighbouring disciplines is especially important.

The programme facilitates close contact between research teams and students, making it possible for students to work in research groups from the early stages of their studies.

The consecutive disciplinary Master's degree programme is designed as a full-time, research-oriented programme that leads to the award of the Master of Science degree.

15 July – for the winter semester

Applicants with foreign certificates must apply online via the uni-assist application portal by 15 June each year.

The Nanoscience – Materials, Molecules and Cells Master's programme can be studied as an interdisciplinary programme with one of the following major/minor variations:

• A major in biology, minor in chemistry
• B major in biology, minor in physics
• C major in chemistry, minor in biology
• D major in chemistry, minor in physics
• E major in physics, minor in biology
• F major in physics, minor in chemistry

Within each study combination, students must earn academic achievements ranging from 36–48 CP from the corresponding required elective courses of their chosen major as well as 12–24 CP from the corresponding required elective course of their chosen minor by the end of the second semester. Furthermore, in terms of required courses for subject specialisation in the major, students are expected to earn a total of 30 CP in academic achievements. In consultation with the examination board, the selection of courses should be designed to form a logical extension of the Bachelor's programme while purposefully preparing students for the Master's thesis. The Master's thesis can only be completed in selected majors.

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No tuition fees

Each semester, students are required to pay approx. 350 EUR as a semester fee (including free use of regional public transport services).

In order to cover personal expenses during the study programme, we recommend that students budget at least 860 EUR per month for accommodation, living, health insurance, books, and miscellaneous expenses.

I. Prerequisites for admission to the Nanosciences – Materials, Molecules and Cells Master's programme are as follows:

1. The applicant must hold a Bachelor's degree or comparable qualification in biology, chemistry, physics or material sciences, or in a mathematics-natural sciences joint honours Bachelor's degree programme with a focus on biology, chemistry or physics, or in another appropriate degree subject, either from a German university or a university abroad which is in one of the Bologna-signatory countries.
2. If the applicant does not satisfy the first prerequisite (see above), he or she must hold a comparable qualification from another university abroad. In such a case, the equivalence is determined in accordance with the assessment proposals of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) at the Administrative Office of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK). The decision on whether a degree programme is in a suitable subject is made by the selection committee.
3. The applicant must not have received a failing grade without the option of retaking a Master’s examination or a comparable examination in a comparable subject-related direction at a university, and the applicant must not have lost the entitlement to take the examination.
4. The applicant must not have already successfully completed a Master’s examination or a comparable examination in a comparable subject at a university.

II. Evidence of at least 80 CP of disciplinary knowledge in the intended major (biology, chemistry or physics) must be provided inclusive a Bachelor's thesis in the intended major (biology, chemistry or physics). For students of Osnabrück University, this is proven if biology, chemistry or physics was studied as the core subject with the scope of a joint honours Bachelor's degree programme at Osnabrück University, including professional skills development and a Bachelor's thesis in this subject. Otherwise, admission can be refused or granted with the proviso that academic achievements which are still lacking are successfully caught up on within two semesters. Such academic achievements cannot be recognised as part of the Master's programme.

III. In the intended minor (biology, chemistry or physics), evidence of disciplinary knowledge of 30 CP is required. For biology, this requirement is fulfilled if the candidate has expertise in the areas of biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, microbiology and molecular cell biology. For chemistry, this requirement is fulfilled if the candidate has expertise in the area of general chemistry as well as the foundations of organic and inorganic chemistry. For physics, this requirement is fulfilled if the candidate has expertise in the areas of nuclear and atomic physics, molecular physics and solid-state physics. Enclosure One provides an overview of the classification of the required expertise.

IV. In derogation from paragraph I., applicants can also be provisionally admitted even if their Bachelor's degree has not yet been completed at the time of application, if at least 150 ECTS credit points have been achieved and if, on the basis of the course of study so far, especially with regard to the examination achievements available so far, it is expected that the degree will have been obtained by the end of the first semester of the Master's programme at the latest. Only examination achievements which have been attained up to the end of the application deadline will be considered. Also in this case, the requirements ensuing from paragraph I., subsections 1. and 2., and paragraphs II. and III. are to be complied with. This means that all achievements for the Bachelor's degree or the comparable qualification must have been completed and assessed by the end of the first semester of the Master's programme. For applications for the winter semester, this date is 15 July. Foreign applicants with foreign certificates apply online via the application portal of uni-assist e.V. by 15 June each year.

Applicants must also provide evidence of English language skills at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

If English is not the native language of the applicant, knowledge of English language skills must be proven by means of the following:

• evidence of eight years of successfully completed English at school if this is the first foreign language, or seven years of successfully completed English at school if this is the second foreign language or
• evidence of passing IELTS (at least 5.5 to 6.5) or a comparable language test

15 July – for the winter semester

Applicants with foreign certificates must apply online via the uni-assist application portal by 15 June each year.

No

Students who have completed their Bachelor's studies may be employed as student assistants.

The accommodation office of the student services ("Studentenwerk") offers modern single rooms in dormitories and helps students find private rooms and flats. The rooms must be rented for at least half a year. The cost of a single room in a student dormitory is approx. 180 to 350 EUR per month.